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Snow processes

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Lead: Michael Lehning

The group in charge of snow processes at the SLF is operated in collaboration with the chair for Cryosphere Sciences at the EPFL in the framework of a joint professorship by Michael Lehning. The group is working on a wide-ranging spectrum of questions and enquiries postulated by the theme of snow, snow transport, snowfall precipitation extending all the way to the impact of snow on solar production. The group is developing numerical models such as SNOWPACK and Alpine3D and researching snow processes out in nature (in high alpine zones and arctic regions), also learning to measure them precisely in experiments (e.g. in wind canals).

Projects

Energy fluxes are extremely variable across the Arctic due to the dependence on sea-ice thickness and atmospheric- ocean heat transfer. One of MOSAiC’s key objectives is to answer the question: “What are the seasonally-varying energy sources that affect the heat and momentum budgets of the Arctic atmosphere, ocean and sea ice?”

Rainfall on existing snowcover frequently occurs in spring. In this project we attempt to identify processes and conditions that determine how snow cover influences runoff formation during a rain-on-snow event.

Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, to which SLF belongs

The WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF is part of the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL and thus belongs to the ETH Domain. It engages in research and scientific services with focus on snow, avalanches, other alpine natural hazards, permafrost and mountain ecosystems. Its best-known service is the avalanche bulletin.